Transferring apparatus and transfer controlling method

Abstract

An IP data transmission technique on ATM. A bridge-hub apparatus comprises an input/output unit inputting/outputting a frame including a MAC address by which a terminal connected to a network can be identified, a upper identification data holding unit holding own IP address of the bridge-hub apparatus connected to the network, a lower identification data holding unit holding own MAC address of the bridge-hub apparatus connected to the network, and a lower layer frame processing unit transferring a frame to either own apparatus's side or other terminals' side connected to the network on the basis of own IP address and own MAC address, thereby switching at high speed.

1 . A transferring apparatus comprising: 
 a transmitting/receiving unit for inputting/outputting a frame including first lower identification data by which a terminal connected to a network can be identified;    a lower identification data holding unit for holding specific lower identification data of a specific terminal apparatus connected to said network; and    a lower layer frame processing unit for transferring said frame to either its own apparatus's side or other terminals' side connected to said network on the basis of said first lower identification data and said specific lower identification data.    
     
     
         2 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said lower identification data holding unit holds own lower identification data representing said apparatus itself as said specific lower identification data; and 
 said lower layer frame processing unit transfers said frame to said own apparatus's side when said first lower identification data agrees with said own lower identification data, while transferring said frame to said other terminals'side when said lower identification data does not agree with said own lower identification data.    
     
     
         3 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said transmitting/receiving unit comprises a plurality of ports to each of which an identification sign for identifying a service on a upper layer's side is assigned.  
     
     
         4 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said lower layer frame processing unit comprises: 
 a lower identification data recognizing unit for recognizing that said received frame is said own lower identification data on the basis of said first lower identification data and said own lower identification data; and    a frame transferring unit for transferring a converted frame generated from said received frame to a upper layer's side when said lower identification data recognizing unit recognizes that said own lower identification data is said own lower identification data.    
     
     
         5 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said lower identification data holding unit relates an identification sign assigned to each of said plural ports with another lower identification data representing another terminal, and holding said identification sign and said another lower identification data.  
     
     
         6 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein at least either said lower identification data recognizing unit or said frame transferring unit of said lower layer frame processing unit processes for each of said plural ports.  
     
     
         7 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a upper layer frame processing unit for generating first upper identification data on the basis of said converted frame transferred by said lower layer frame processing unit, and being able to output an agreement signal representing agreement or disagreement between said first upper identification data and own upper identification data representing said apparatus itself.  
 
     
     
         8 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said transferring apparatus uses a upper identification data holding unit which is connected to said upper layer frame processing unit to hold said own upper identification data to output said agreement signal.  
     
     
         9 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said lower layer frame processing unit comprises a mask processing unit for limiting input and output of a frame at said transmitting/receiving unit on the basis of said agreement signal outputted from said upper identification data holding unit.  
     
     
         10 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said lower layer frame processing unit comprises: 
 a lower identification data recognizing unit for recognizing that said received frame is broadcast lower identification data for broadcasting on the basis of said first lower identification data and said broadcast lower identification data for broadcasting; and    a frame transferring unit for transferring a converted frame generated from said received frame to a upper layer's side and other ports different from a receiving port to which said received frame has been inputted among said plural ports.    
     
     
         11 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein at least either said lower identification data recognizing unit or said frame transferring unit of said lower layer frame processing unit processes each of said plural ports.  
     
     
         12 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a upper layer frame processing unit for generating first upper identification data on the basis of said converted frame transferred by said lower layer frame processing unit, and being able to output an agreement signal representing agreement or disagreement between said first upper identification data and own upper identification data representing said apparatus itself.  
 
     
     
         13 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said transferring apparatus uses a upper identification data holding unit which is connected to said upper layer frame processing unit to hold said own upper identification data to output said agreement signal.  
     
     
         14 . The transferring apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said lower layer frame processing unit comprises a mask processing unit for limiting input and output of a frame in said transmitting/receiving unit on the basis of said agreement signal outputted from said upper identification data holding unit.  
     
     
         15 . A transfer controlling method comprising the steps of: 
 a request frame receiving step of receiving a predetermined request frame including at least either upper identification data of a specific terminal apparatus or broadcast lower identification data for broadcasting transmitted from a terminal connected to a network in order to obtain specific lower identification data of said specific terminal apparatus which can transfer a frame by a lower layer frame processing unit which transfers said predetermined request frame to either the apparatus's side or the other terminals'side connected to said network; and    a selectively transferring step of selectively transferring a converted frame generated from said request frame received at said request frame receiving step from said terminal apparatus to at least either a upper layer or said other terminals.    
     
     
         16 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 15 , wherein said selectively transferring step comprises: 
 a upper layer transferring step of generating first upper identification data on the basis of said converted frame transferred by said lower layer frame processing unit when said transferring apparatus recognizes said own lower identification data, and transferring said converted frame to a upper layer frame processing unit which can output an agreement signal representing agreement or disagreement between said first upper identification data and own upper identification data representing said apparatus itself;    a determining step of determining by said upper layer frame processing unit whether upper identification data of said converted frame transferred at said upper layer transferring step is said own upper identification data or not; and    a responding step of transferring a response frame including own lower identification data corresponding to said own upper identification data to said other terminals from said upper layer frame processing unit when upper identification data of said converted frame is determined as said own upper identification data at said determining step.    
     
     
         17 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 16  further comprising the step of: 
 a upper layer transferring step of transferring said response frame to said upper layer from said upper layer frame processing unit when said upper identification data of said converted frame is determined as said own upper identification data at said determining step.  
 
     
     
         18 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 15 , wherein said selectively transferring step comprises: 
 a upper layer-port transferring step of transferring said converted frame to said upper layer and other ports different from a receiving port to which said request frame has been inputted among said plural ports when said transferring apparatus recognizes broadcast lower identification data for broadcasting.    
     
     
         19 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 15 , wherein said selectively transferring step comprises: 
 a third transferring step of transferring said converted frame to said plural ports when said transferring apparatus recognizes identification data other than own lower identification data and said broadcast lower identification data.    
     
     
         20 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 15 , wherein said selectively transferring step comprises: 
 a upper layer transferring step of transferring said converted frame to said upper layer when said transferring apparatus recognizes own lower identification data.    
     
     
         21 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 15 , wherein said selectively transferring step comprises: 
 a protocol responding step of transmitting a response frame including lower identification data of said other terminal from said transferring apparatus to said other terminal.    
     
     
         22 . A transfer controlling method comprising the steps of: 
 a frame receiving step of receiving a predetermined request frame including upper identification data of a transferring apparatus and broadcast lower identification data for broadcasting transmitted from a terminal connected to a network in order to obtain own lower identification data representing a terminal apparatus which can transfer a frame by a lower layer frame processing unit which transfers said predetermined request frame to either own apparatus's side or other terminals'side connected to said network;    a first frame transferring step of transferring said request frame received at said frame receiving step to at least either ports assigned identification signs for identifying services on the upper layer's side or a upper layer from said lower layer frame processing unit;    a determining step of determining whether upper identification data of said request frame is addressed to said transferring apparatus by said upper layer using a upper layer identification data holding unit which can hold data; and    a second frame transferring step of transferring a notification frame generated from said request frame to a upper layer when said upper layer frame processing unit determines said transferring apparatus at said determining step.    
     
     
         23 . The transfer controlling method according to  claim 22  further comprising: 
 an agreement signal transmitting step of transmitting an agreement signal representing agreement or disagreement between said first upper identification data and another upper identification data representing another terminal connected to said network to said lower layer frame processing unit from said upper layer on the basis of said request frame transmitted at said frame receiving step; and  
 an output limiting step of limiting output of a frame from said port by said lower layer frame processing unit on the basis of said agreement signal transmitted at said agreement signal transmitting step.  
 
     
     
         24 . A transfer controlling method for use in an apparatus to which a frame including lower identification data by which a terminal connected to a network can be identified is inputted through each of a plurality of ports assigned identification signs for identifying services on a upper layer's side, said apparatus having a first function of outputting a frame including own lower identification data representing a terminal apparatus which can transfer a frame to a port corresponding to own lower identification data among said plural ports, and a second function of outputting a received frame from a receiving port to all the other ports among said plural ports, said transfer controlling method comprising the steps of: 
 a holding step of holding lower identification data of said terminals connected to said respective plural ports; and    an output limiting step of limiting output of a frame through a masked port among said plural ports by a terminal connected to said receiving port to which said received frame has been inputted among said plural ports under a control of a upper layer.